It is conventional to use flexible plastics tapes for holding a diaper in place. This is so with diapers for infants, though such tapes are also used for adult diapers. In its unused condition the diaper has a pair of tapes, one on each side, the tapes being secured to the rest of the diaper by, for example, heat sealing. The tapes have free end portions which are coated with adhesive, the adhesive surface each being covered prior to use with a backing film. At the time of use, the backing films are removed and the tapes adhered to the portion of the diaper which is then adjacent to them, the tape connections then being located adjacent either side of the waist of the infant or other user.
In order to provide adequate strength for the tapes, it is normal to use a strong, relatively stiff plastics material, such as polypropylene, in the form of solid tapes produced, for example, by extrusion. The term "solid" here is used to mean that the material of the tape is present throughout its cross-section, as opposed, for example, to tapes formed of matted fibres. The tapes are cut with a blade from a roll of material. Normally what is done is to start with a roll whose width is equal to the desired length of the tapes, and cut it into lengths equal to the desired tape width. However, the tapes are quite thin. They might be as much as 500 .mu.m in thickness, but would normally be less than 200 .mu.m, and typically about 100 .mu.m or 150 .mu.m. They might be as little as 20 or 25 .mu.m in thickness. These values exclude the adhesive coating. As a result of their thinness the edges of the polypropylene tape are very sharp. The phenomenon is akin to that encountered with paper. There is therefore a risk of the person putting the diaper on the infant being cut by the tapes. Furthermore, it is found that movement by the infant after the diaper is put on can result in the tapes coming into contact with the infant's skin, which can be the cause of the irritation.
The problem is one which is known in the art, but the only solution proposed hitherto, as far as the present applicants are aware, is that described in EP-A-379850, which involves cutting the initial plastic material in a wave shape. This requires a specially constructed, and somewhat complex, cutting apparatus.
It is an object of the present invention to provide tapes in which the above problem is avoided or mitigated in a simple and effective manner, and a sanitary article, for example a diaper, using such tapes.